8.1.5 transcoding issue

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 8:17

Hi all!

After upgrading peertube to the 8.1.5 from 7.2.3, when I upload a 1080p 5GB file, the transcoded file is still 5GB, while I were used (to save space):

upload the 5GB 1080p file, then after transcoding I keep the 1080p transcoded file which was much less, say 2-3GB, and deleting the original file.

How can I setup the parameters in order to keepthe previous behavior?

Edit: from 7.2.3 (not from 8.1.3)

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 9:44

7.2.3 example, original video is 1080p

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 10:07

Isn’t that if the original file meets HLS, it is not transcoded?

If that so, how I can force the transcoding anyways?

Chocobozzz · Avril 17, 2026, 11:35

What you take a screen with 8.1.5 with the same input file?

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 12:52

I did reuploaded the same file with 8.1.5, when transcode ends I let you know it will take a while.

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 1:07

Issue confirmed, something is wrong.

3.3GB of transcoded 1080p file instead of the 1.7GB on 7.2.3

Edit: 7.2.3 not 8.1.4

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 1:23

Update: I checked upload times, the 1.7GB file was done on version 7.2.3 so it is possible the issue already were up after it.
I did upgraded from 7.2.3 to 8.1.4 on 4/4 15:07 (file was uploaded on 4/4 12:40) and then to 8.1.5 on april,16 11:19

Edited the previous messages to avoid version confusion. (note: will be nice to have the ~strikethrough~ for deleted text in forum markup )

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 1:51

Transcoding completed also the 720p version

it is only a little more than the original transcode (861.8MB on 8.1.5 vs 837.9 on 7.2.3) but it is ok, the transcoding was done.
It seems if the original file has the same resolution of the transcode, it is skipped altogether, stripping only the audio.

Chocobozzz · Avril 17, 2026, 2:00

I suggest creating an issue on GitHub - Chocobozzz/PeerTube: ActivityPub-federated video streaming platform using P2P directly in your web browser · GitHub so the admin can decide to disable quick transcoding completely.

Bly · Avril 17, 2026, 2:21

Opened ticket 7565.
Thank you!

Oliver · Avril 21, 2026, 1:19

Hi,

The GitHub issue is about a possible new option for admins, but I’m not sure whether I correctly understand the technical background.

We use the “PeerTube transcoding custom quality” plugin to render videos in high quality while keeping data usage manageable (CRF = 19).

As far as I know, videos used to be re-encoded in all formats. If someone uploaded a 1080p video in extremely high quality (which can mean 50 GB or more for one hour of footage), then when watching the video even in 1080p, only about 2 GB per hour would be transferred. Playback bandwidth was capped by the transcoded versions, which ensured that watching videos did not consume large amounts of data.

Am I correct in understanding that this is no longer the case in PeerTube 8.1.5?

Thanks,
Oliver

Chocobozzz · Avril 21, 2026, 1:55

Hi,

This is still the case if PeerTube considers the input file’s bandwidth to be too high. However, PeerTube considers the input file bitrate of @Bly to be acceptable.